Fall music festival kicks off in downtown Cape on Oct. 28

Fans and musicians who've grown to love a fall music festival downtown can enjoy a new tradition when the Big Muddy Spook Heavy kicks off Oct. 28.

Water and Themis streets in downtown Cape Girardeau will host live music acts, arts and crafts, food vendors, a haunted maze and beer garden. Sister parties will be thrown at Buckner Brewing Co. and Port Cape Girardeau.

The festival features nationally touring progressive bluegrass acts as well as local favorites. Honey Suckle, Dirtfoot and New Old Cavalry will join Cape Girardeau groups like The Big Idea, Don Greenwood and Joey Parent.

Inside, dance parties will be thrown on both nights starting at 9 p.m. at Port Cape with a short lineup of DJs.

Spook Heavy will raise money for Melaina's Magical Playland, an all-inclusive, fully accessible playground for disabled and nondisabled children in the area. Twenty percent of proceeds will go toward the cause, championed by Jeff and Andrea Cunningham.

Bloom Heavy Productions organized the festival. Bloom connects its events with causes. While Spook Heavy is Bloom's seventh event, it is their first inside any city limits. Brandon Kohrman, promotional manager for the group, said he wants Spook Heavy to be the premier family oriented event for Cape Girardeau on Halloween weekend.

"We have a big following with the other events we've done. We hope by bringing in nationally touring acts we're going to raise the caliber of music," Kohrman said.

Bloom has produced similar festivals in Grassy, Mo., which have drawn 1,100 to 2,200 people. Kohrman expects Spook Heavy to exceed those turnouts.

Musician Joey Parent has performed in past Bloom events and said he is excited for Spook Heavy.

"With every new festival they put on it just keeps on growing," he said. "It really went from a small local festival to a big thing. Each time they get bigger acts and a bigger sound and bigger stage, and there's always something to look forward to."

Sponsors for Spook Heavy include Lodo, Hempies, Port Cape Girardeau, Burritoville, Buckner Brewing Co. and River Eagle.

For more information on Melaina's Magical Playland, visit www.magicalplayland.org. Information on Spook Heavy and Bloom Heavy can be found at www.bloomheavy.com, info@bloomheavy.com or by calling 573-576-8605.

Tickets for the weekend are $12 and available at Hempies at 111 N. Main St. Single day tickets are available on the day of the event for $10 or both days for $16. The festival begins at 3:30 p.m. Oct. 28 and ends at midnight. It runs from noon to midnight Oct. 29.